Leeks

Hi All,

Is it to late to start leeks now?

Thanks
Rusty

 

I agree with John

 

Last year I sowed mine in a big polystyrene fish box in the GH on 2nd April and planted them out on 9th June. I lifted the last of that crop this year on 28th April.
Slightly earlier sowing this year - 14th March.

 

I agree with Dave as well Thing is, as long as they get reasonable temps at the sowing stage (not too hot or too cold), and get plenty of light at the seedling stage, all should be well. In my very limited experience, I've found it pays to be careful not to overwater them, because they tend to just sit there, languishing. No doubt I've missed something, so take my advice with a pinch of salt

Oh yes, fwiw, I sowed mine around a week ago, when they're up and ready for potting on, I'll probably put mine into root trainers.

Cheers...Freddy.

 

Was that the 28th MARCH this year then Dave, or do you have a Tardis ?

Real answer it the GH Heated or just a stand alone one?

Next ignorance is bliss, do you plant the seeds all at once or in stages
I want to try some, but do not know the rules, like last year I planted the whole
packet of Lettuce, at once Then we had one a week for err three weeks and the rest went into the compost after bolting/rotting
Well I am learning the trade :-)

Jack McH

 

Hiya Jack.

The thing with Leeks is that they are ready for harvest from maybe September onwards? After that they're quite happy to just sit there, overwintering. Quite a useful crop. So yes, you can sow them all at once.

 

Tardis failed the MOT Jack! Yes 28th March.
Haven't heated GH for past two years as cash,time and trouble are not worth it. Having said that, our GH (a former pigsty) is brick walled, concrete floored, and largely double glazed so is a bit warmer than a stand-alone one.

 

I use a fish box too, I think its better than my previous pots methods - I actually manage to get them to "pencil thickness" whereas previously in pots I only ever got to "biro refill" thickness !

I do the full faff at the sowing stage - each seed hand-placed an inch or so apart on a neat grid. The Leek seedlings are doing to be in the fish box for a couple of month or more I a) do not want them over crowding and getting thin / lanky as a result and I b) want them to be reasonable easy to separate.

Seed sown in fish box on a neat grid pattern:



Seedlings ready for planting out:

 

Hi Kristen.

That looks a pretty good method. I have to admit, mine usually go the same way, with regards to being more like a biro refill size. Do you use any particular compost mixture? Do you feed at any stage?

Cheers...Freddy.

 

I fill the polystyrene boxes with Multipurpose and sow into that. Its a bit rough for seeds, but Leek seeds are not fussy

Yes, they are in the compost for too long to cope without feed. But I'm not methodical, I use a liquid feed when I remember and when I am feeding other things. Miracle Gro I expect. I don't think I fed them after planting last year ... but that would be a good idea!

I need to make a feedback spreadsheet timetable - to go with my seed sowing one!

 

I fill the lower part of my fish box with worm compost and in the upper sowing couple of inches use a mixture of JI No.1 and general purpose compost. I use the the JI/GP mix because I've found that most GP composts are peat based and dry out very easily but adding soil based JI helps keep the growing medium moist. The worm compost at the base helps give a feed once the leeks roots have developed.

 

Hi folks, thanks for that.

I was wondering, what do you put the success of this method down to?

 

Keeping schtum eh?